This boxing is the initial MiG-21 boxing Matchbox. The version isn't stated. It may be surprising as there has been many versions of the MiG-21. In fact hese can be distinguished in four generations:
- 1st generation daylight fighter: MiG-21 F/F-13
- 2nd generation all-weather interceptor: MiG-21 PF/PFS/PFM/FL with lengthened nose and bigger nosecone to accommodate a radar; fuel tanks added behind the cockpit. Up to one pylon per wing.
- 3rd generation all-weather tactical fighter: MiG-21 S/R/RF/M/SM/MF/SMT with added fuel tank along the spine and built-in gun under the fuselage starting with the MiG-21 M. Up to two pylons per wing
- 4th generation improved all-weather tactical: MiG-21 bis with slightly reshaped wider spine, improved avionics, improved engine
PK-019 corresponds to a 2nd generation version. Its single-piece canopy, wide chord fin and parabrake chute fairing suggests it's a MiG-21 PFS or early MiG-21 PFM: difficult to conclude this with available documentation. What is certain is that Matchbox has done a mistake: the pitot boom should have been on the top of the nose and not under it (position potentially harmful for ground crew).
One of my favorites as I find it very atmospheric. The depicted aircraft feature wing pylons when the kit doesn't. The artist didn't know that the fairing at the fin base contained the brake chute as it appears that the chute is attached under the fuselage !
Soviet or czech aircraft of unspecified units. The Czech roundels aren't accurate in the initial boxing as the blue and red sectors should have been swapped on half of the roundels. This was solved in the side opening boxes. The three-view drawings show this correctly.
Highly fictional..
They should be...
- wheel hubs, nose cone, top fin and keel front dielectric radomes: green
- intake lip, rear fuselage: steel
- wheel wells, gear legs: medium grey
- seat: light grey
- underfuselage fuel tank: silver
No phony panel lines; the main ones are there.
The kit comes with the Ye Old Generic Jet Pilot (he broke his legs for some reason)
The landing gear legs are too skiny and they may not handle the weight well
It's hemicylindrical when it should be bubble shaped (noticably when seen from the top, slightly when seen from sides). Height is too low.
Main accuracy
- The fuselage is a centimeter too long (front and rear fuselage) and the nozzle should be circular not elliptical. Wing span is ok.
- The canopy: It's possible that Aeroclub C028 vacuformed canopy was made to correct this issue but I'm not sure
- Wing pylons
The kit shortcomings can be improved by crosskitting the kit with the retooled PK-41 kit.
It depends on the modeler. If he wants a gorgeous kit but inaccurate model (to the MiG-21 fan), the way to go is Fujimi. If accuracy prevails, the Bilek shortrun kit will be better. Innex and Zvezda also offer 2nd generation MiG-21 which are nice though the nose area needs a bit of work.
Lesney modified the molds to turn their 2nd generation MiG-21 to a 3rd and 4th generation plane.
... and corrections
+
They match nicely scaled-up drawings of the Aerofax/WarbirdTech/Famous Russian Aircraft MiG-21 books.
The stabilator chord was too big, Lesney corrected this
New inaccuracies:
- no guns
- three-view of the Finnish plane: the roundel colors are inverted (blue should be white and white should be blue). Argentina or Greece had MiG-21s ! :D
Alternatives for 3rd and 4th generation MiG-21s: again it depends on the modeler. If he wants a gorgeous kit but inaccurate model (to the MiG-21 fan), the way to go is Fujimi. If accuracy prevails, it depends. MiG-21 bis -> Zvezda is the way to go. The Condor/Eastern Express/ICM is pretty accurate in shape too but a lot less detailed . The 3rd generation need a lot of work: KP, ZTS Plastyk/Mastercraft.
Conclusion
The retooled MiG-21 (PK-41) is far more accurate than the initial release (PK-19). Many better MiG-21 kits have been done since and I would leave PK-19 to the collectors. PK-41 doesn't look too bad though and it can be turned into a great gear-up deskmodel.
